UK Royal Navy’s new Type 26-class frigate to be named HMS Birmingham

UK Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has revealed that a new Type 26 or City-class frigate for the Royal Navy will be named HMS Birmingham.

The 6,900t anti-submarine warship is the fourth Royal Navy vessel to be named after the UK city.

The Type 26-class ships have been designed for use by the navy to provide advanced protection to the country’s fleet of nuclear deterrent and the new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers.

Once in service with the Royal Navy, HMS Birmingham will have the ability to carry out a range of other operations across the world.

HMS Birmingham is the fourth of eight Type 26 frigates to be named, the other three being HMS Glasgow, HMS Belfast and HMS Cardiff.

“In honour of this great city, we will be naming one of our eight Type 26 global combat ships HMS Birmingham.”

Williamson said: “Three of our nation’s ships have proudly borne the name Birmingham. Those ships won five battle honours.

“Today, in honour of this great city, we will be naming one of our eight Type 26 global combat ships HMS Birmingham.”

Being the first three frigates to be constructed by BAE Systems on the Clyde in Scotland, HMS Glasgow, HMS Belfast, and HMS Cardiff are slated to enter service with the Royal Navy beginning in the 2020s.

HMS Birmingham will be part of the second batch of frigates to be ordered in the early 2020s.

Alongside announcing the vessel’s name, Williamson also confirmed that the two amphibious assault ships, HMS Bulwark and HMS Albion, would not be withdrawn from service early.